a task for the understanding coward
by kendamas
Summary: sometimes there are things only cowards can do. in which Furihata thinks differently of Akashi Seijuurou, and Kuroko notices. slight akafuri. [Hints for recent manga chapters, and written for basketballpoetsociety's otp battle.]


**Disclaimer** I do not own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, kuromomo would have been canon.

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Seirin had lost, but that was on the back of his mind. Because once he turned to face the victors, he saw a sight that made him change his opinion of the captain of the opposing team.

Akashi Seijuurou, instead of having that look of smugness-the look that always had that haughtiness saying "I told you, I won and therefore am absolute and always right" and despite the score being apart by a good twenty points, had an expression of complete relief. And that relief, Furihata thought was strange. Because for Akashi, as told by Kuroko, winning was the same as breathing and it came naturally to him. So seeing relief that looked so foreign on the Rakuzan (and former Teikou) captain was odd. Of course, in a split second, it disappeared, and Akashi reverted back to his usual calm look.

"It's nice, though," Furihata spoke aloud, a small smile adjourning his lips. There was something that was...human about someone like Akashi Seijuurou making such an expression. And he whispered under his breath, "Maybe it was worth losing if it meant discovering an unexpected look on him."

"Furihata-kun?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the person who called for him, and honestly he wasn't surprised with what he saw. Kuroko was looking quietly at him, his sky blue eyes more puffy and redder than usual. He had seen Kuroko cry once before, back at the Touhou match, but the phantom player looked more pained. It was understandable—this was the Finals and Akashi was the opponent. But there was a small gleam in his eyes, though Furihata wasn't able to read them.

More importantly, though, he knew how badly this one battle must have affected his friend. "Kuroko, are you alright?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking." Kuroko grew quiet for short moment to stare at the court floor. "I have a favor, Furihata-kun. I believe," he paused again, seeming to carefully choose his words, "you are the only one out of everyone I could ask of this."

"Me? Well, I don't mind. What is it?"

Kuroko looked back at Furihata, then to Akashi, who stood by his teammates and unlike them was not cheering or grinning in victory. It looked forlorn, and Furihata realized that it was the first time he thought of Akashi that way.

"Before I say my favor... Furihata-kun, do you see yourself as a coward?"

"A coward?" Instantly, he was reminded of having to mark two captains of challenging teams, and he shivered. "Maybe. I'm not like you or Kagami or the seniors on our team. I'm still shaking from marking Akashi-san, actually."

"But you still did."

Furihata grimaced. "Well, it's not like I had much of a choice. I don't want to face Coach's wrath..."

Kuroko chuckled at that, and Furihata was glad he was able to lighten his friend's mood, even if by a little bit. "You're a good person, Furihata-kun, even if you may think of yourself as a coward. But if someone asked me, I would think otherwise."

They were words that Furihata didn't expect to hear and they left him in surprise, so Kuroko took the silence to continue. "I think out of all of us, you are the only one brave enough and the only one with a big enough heart to do this favor. And I believe it's best if you do this, too, because I saw the way you looked at Akashi-kun just now."

Furihata flushed, embarrassed that he had been caught in the act, but he was more concerned about what Kuroko wanted him to do, now understanding that it had something to do with the captain of the champion team. And after so many months of seeing interactions between the light and shadow duo of the team, it was possible that Kuroko was either teasing or up to no good. But that seemed unlikely, after seeing him looking more serious and concerned.

"Furihata-kun," Kuroko addressed him again, his tone direct and leveled. Furihata gulped nervously and nodded. "I want you to congratulate Akashi-kun on his win."

He sputtered right away. "Con... Congratulate Akashi-san?! Wh... Why?"

"Furihata-kun." There was an earnest plea in the way Kuroko said his name, and Furihata knew he would have no choice but to comply. He was a coward like that, in a way, being unable to say "no" to these requests. Maybe Kuroko was taking an advantage on that trait, but at the same time he also seemed glad that the brunet was that way. "Furihata-kun, what were your thoughts on Akashi-kun just now?"

"My...thoughts?" Furihata repeated, and instinctively turned to where the redhead was standing, at the shining spotlight in the middle of the court. "There's something about him that seems...off. I had always thought, and had always seen and expected to this point, that there was an air of absolute authority and rule around him, especially after a victory." The words were coming out as a drawl, as if he has been keeping an eye on the Rakuzan captain this whole time, albeit subconsciously. "But after today, for the first time, I began to think there was something underneath that...facade. Something that he's been keeping hidden from everyone; even from you, Kuroko."

He had rambled; Furihata nervously scratched the back of his head. "I guess," he finished lamely.

He looked back at Kuroko, curious to see what the phantom player thought. There was a shadow of a smile on Kuroko's face, a rare sight for anyone, really. "I have always known Furihata-kun had a keen sense of observation."

"O-Oh."

"You said some interesting things, Furihata-kun. Things that no one else, not even the Generation of Miracles, would catch on, no matter how perceptive they may be. That is why I believe you should interact with Akashi-kun. I do think you're the only person to be able to...do something about him. After what had just happened, our team will probably be unable to accept this loss fully. But you had already done so, and had begun seeing Akashi-kun differently on top of that."

Kuroko was usually sincere and genuine about his words; this was no exception. So Furihata nodded, understanding that despite what Akashi had done in the past to ruin Kuroko's friendship with Ogiwara that Kuroko still cared about his former captain. With a reassuring smile, Furihata walked towards Akashi, shaking as he stepped, but determined as he did. And soon enough, he was standing in front of those heterochromatic eyes with a cowardly, but resolute face.

He drew some breath in, sharp but strong. "Con... Congratulations, Akashi-san."

Needless to say, Akashi was mildly taken aback. However, in the next second, his eyes narrowed and a smirk decorated his lips.

"What was your name, again?"

"Fu... Furihata Kouki, Akashi-san."

The relief shone again in those usual, intimidating eyes, and Furihata could actually _feel _the reassurance emitting from the Akashi Seijuurou he had once thought was incapable of being something more soothing other than being absolute. And Furihata almost gaped when he saw the small smile that replaced his signature haughty smirk. It was majestic, a different kind of majestic.

"Thank you."

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**T**his was originally submitted for the otp battle that basketballpoetsociety tumblr was holding. I decided to upload this on , too, for the akafuri fans. And, yes, I'm still writing more akafuri stuff so look forward to that in the future! I hope you enjoyed!


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